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Newborns' positive dope test mystery solved

Soap has been blamed for the apparent rise in positive drug tests in newborn babies

By 3 News online staff

A mysterious increase in the number of newborns testing positive for marijuana use has been blamed on certain brands of baby soap.

After nurses at a North Carolina hospital reported the strange rise, researchers found only trace amounts – less than 0.1 millilitres – were needed in order to produce a positive test result for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

The researchers aren't sure why the soaps trigger positive results. They believe it could be that the soaps contain a compound structurally similar to THC, or that the soaps change the way the test works.

From now on, all positive tests are going to be re-tested for confirmation before social services get involved, reports MSNBC.